Combined broadcast and backchannel delivery of streaming content

• US 9,100,585 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2008
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: White, Payton R., Detwiler, Stephen C., Zalewski, Gary M.
• Primary Examiner(s): GREENE, JOSEPH L
• Application Number:
  US12/259,852
• Publication Number:
  US 20100106847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,471 Days
• Field of Search: 709/231
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42607 for processing the incoming bitstream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/24 Systems for the transmission of television signals using pulse code modulation H04N21/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/52 Systems for transmission of a pulse code modulated video signal with one or more other pulse code modulated signals, e.g. an audio signal or a synchronizing signal assembling of a multiplex stream by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, remultiplexing of multiplex streams, insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, assembling of a packetised elementary stream at server side H04N21/236; disassembling of a multiplex stream, remultiplexing of multiplex streams, extraction or processing of Service Information, disassembling of packetised elementary stream at client side H04N21/434
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/54 the signals being synchronous H04N21/23602, H04N21/23614, H04N21/2365, H04N21/2368, H04N21/4341, H04N21/4342, H04N21/4347, H04N21/4348 take precedence

Abstract

Streaming content may be delivered through a combination of broadcast and a backchannel. Related apparatus and methods for receiving and distributing streaming content are described. A receiving device may receive a packet of information in the form of a broadcast signal from a broadcast source. The packet of information may contain one or more streamlets and a table of contents associated with the streamlets. A desired streamlet may be selected from the packet of information and presented with a display. A remainder of a data stream associated with the streamlet may be requested and received from via a backchannel while the desired streamlet is being presented. The remaining data stream may then be presented with the display.

Claims

1. A method for receiving streaming content, comprising:

a) receiving a packet of information in the form of a broadcast signal from a broadcast source with a receiving device, wherein the packet of information contains one or more streamlets and a table of contents associated with the streamlets, wherein the table of contents includes information identifying what content is available within the packet of information, wherein each said streamlet is an ordered grouping of multiple data packets that correspond to a presentable portion of a larger unit of streaming data that is associated with the streamlet;

b) selecting a desired streamlet from the packet of information;

c) presenting the desired streamlet with a display associated with the receiving device;

d) requesting a remainder of the larger unit of streaming data associated with the desired streamlet by the receiving device from a data stream source separate from the broadcast source while the desired streamlet is being presented;

e) receiving the remainder of the larger unit of streaming data associated with the desired streamlet via a backchannel from the data stream source while the desired streamlet is being presented, wherein the backchannel is implemented by a mode of communication other than a broadcast signal from the broadcast source; and

f) presenting the remainder of the larger unit of streaming data associated with the desired streamlet with a display associated with the receiving device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a) includes receiving a packet of information sent via a rotational scheme wherein an entire streamlet of the packet is received before a subsequent streamlet of the packet is received.

3. The method of claim 2 the packet of information is broadcast repetitively.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a) includes receiving a packet of information sent via an interweaving scheme wherein initial portions of each streamlet in the packet of information are received in order, followed by the table of contents, followed by subsequent portions of each of the streamlets, followed again by the table of contents.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein receiving the packet of information according to the interweaving scheme repeats after a last portion of each individual streamlet has been broadcast.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a) includes receiving a packet of information sent via a tiered scheme, wherein the streamlets in the packet of information are sent at a repetition rate based on a tiered prioritization, wherein streamlets of a lower priority are sent at a longer periodicity than streamlets of a higher priority.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the packet of information repeats itself once the last streamlet and table of contents have been broadcast.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a) includes receiving a table of contents with an expiration, wherein the expiration informs the receiving device to receive an updated packet of information upon the expiration of the table of contents.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a) includes receiving an updated packet of information in response to conditions triggering a motion sensor component of the receiving device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein d) includes requesting the remainder of the data stream associated with the desired streamlet through the backchannel.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising after a) and before b) storing the information packet in a memory associated with the receiving device.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the broadcast signal is a digital broadcast signal.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the packet of information includes two or more streamlets.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the information included in the table of contents identifies what content is available in each of the two or more streamlets.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein b) includes selecting the desired streamlet from among the two or more streamlets using the information in the table of contents.

13. An apparatus for receiving streaming content, comprising:

a tuning device configured to receive a broadcast signal;

a computer processor coupled to the tuning device;

a memory coupled to the processor;

a backchannel communication link coupled to the processor; and

a set of computer executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the receiving device to implement a method for receiving streaming content, the method comprising;

a) receiving a packet of information with the tuning device in the form of a broadcast signal from a broadcast source, wherein the packet of information contains one or more streamlets and a table of contents associated with the streamlets, wherein the table of contents includes information identifying what content is available within the packet of information, wherein each said streamlet is an ordered grouping of multiple data packets that correspond to a presentable portion of a larger unit of streaming data that is associated with the streamlet;

b) selecting a desired streamlet from the packet of information;

c) presenting the desired streamlet with a display coupled to the processor;

d) requesting a remainder of the larger unit of streaming data associated with the desired streamlet by the receiving apparatus from a data stream source separate from the broadcast source while the desired streamlet is being presented;

e) receiving the remainder of the larger unit of streaming data associated with the desired streamlet through the backchannel communication link from the data stream source while the desired streamlet is being presented, wherein the backchannel is implemented by a mode of communication other than a broadcast signal from the broadcast source; and

f) presenting the remainder of the larger unit of streaming data associated with the desired streamlet with the display.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein a) includes receiving a packet of information sent via a rotational scheme wherein an entire streamlet of the packet is received before a subsequent streamlet of the packet is received.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein a) includes receiving a packet of information sent via an interweaving scheme wherein initial portions of each streamlet in the packet of information are received in order, followed by the table of contents, followed by subsequent portions of each of the streamlets, followed again by the table of contents.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein a) includes receiving a packet of information sent via a tiered scheme, wherein the streamlets in the packet of information are sent based on a tiered prioritization, wherein streamlets of a lower priority are sent at a longer periodicity than streamlets of a higher priority.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein a) includes receiving a table of contents with an expiration, wherein the expiration informs the receiving device to receive an updated packet of information upon the expiration of the table of contents.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein a) includes receiving an updated packet of information in response to conditions triggering a motion sensor component of the receiving device.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising after a) and before b) storing the information packet in the memory.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a motion sensor coupled to the processor, wherein a) includes receiving an updated packet of information in response to a trigger signal from the motion sensor.

21. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the tuning device is configured to receive a digital broadcast signal.

25. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the packet of information includes two or more streamlets.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the information included in the table of contents identifies what content is available in each of the two or more streamlets.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein b) includes selecting the desired streamlet from among the two or more streamlets using the information in the table of contents.

28. The apparatus of claim 13, said apparatus further comprising:

the display coupled to the processor.